Envelop.



'No. 729,318. PATE1-ITBDMums,1903.4 s. N. PLIBGER.

ENVELOP.

APPLICATION PILD rma. 27, 190s. N10 MODEL. v l 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

i PATENT Patented May 26, 1903.

OFFICE.

STERLING N. FLIEGER, OF DENVER, COLORADO.

ENVELO P.

SPECIFICATION forming part of-Letters Patent N o. 729,318, dated May 26, 1 903. Application filed February 27, 1903. Serial No. 145,402. (No model.)

. citizen of the United States, residing at Denver, in the county of Arapahoe and State of Colorado,` have invented new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to new and useful improvements in safety envelops, especially adapted for use in transmitting money and other valuables through the mail; audits object is to provide a simple and inexpensive fastening device which may readily be attached to an envelop and which is so constructed as to eectua'lly seal the same and prevent the opening of the envelop without mutilating or otherwise marring the appearance thereof.

The invention consists in providinga stripV of suitable metal, through which one of the iiaps of the envelop is adapted to be inserted,` and this strip has hails formed integral therewith and provided withv tongues extending thereinto. Another strip is secured to the loose or closing ap of the envelop and is provided with ears having apertures therein. These ears are adapted to be inserted through the hails, and the two strips are then pressed together. This results in the ears being forced under the hails and into engagement with the tongues arranged therein, and it is therefore impossiblev to separate the two strips and the fiaps connected thereto without mutilating` the envelop. l

The invention also consists in the furtherv novel construction,combination,and arrangement of the several parts, whichwill be more fully hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which-'- f Figure 1 is a plan view of a sealed registryenvelop with my improved fastening device thereon. Fig. 2 is a similar view of the upper portion of said envelop, showing the fiap open prior to the sealing operation.v Fig: 3 is a detail view of the engaging member of the fastening device. Fig. 4v is a similar View of the securing member of said fastener. Fig. is an enlarged section through the fastener when the parts thereof are in engagement with each other and also showing the adjoining portions of the envelop; and Figs. 6 and 7are views ofthe blanks prior to being shaped into the engaging and securing members, respectively, of the fastener.

erence, 1 is an ordinary envelop havinga Hap 2, which is pasted upon the side aps 3 and together therewith forms the body of the envelop, as ordinarily. Prior to the securing of the Hap 2 in position upon the side flaps it is inserted into the securing member of the envelop-fastener. This member, as illustrated in the drawings, comprises a body portion 4, having longitudinally-extending slots 5 at the edges thereof and inwardly-turned flanges 6, which extend under the body and are for the purpose of clamping the flap 2, which has been inserted through the slot 5 against the inner surface of said body portion. Bails 7 are struck up from the body 4 of this strip,

. Referring to the figures by numerals of ref-V and the strip 8, lwhich is formed intermediate the bails, has oppositely-,extending tongues 9 thereon and a longitudinally-extending rib 10. The hails are normally larranged at right angles to the body 4, as illustrated in Fig, 4.

The engaging member ofthe fastener is secured to the free edge of the closing-flap 11 ofthe envelop. This member also comprises a body portion 12, having slots 13 at the edges thereof and inwardly-turned anges 14,which are provided at their edges with ears 15, having apertures 16 therein. This member is fastened to the flap by inserting the free edge thereof through the slots 13 and bending said edge backward and over the ears 15 and then pasting the same upon tianges 14. vThe ears are so spaced apart that when the two fastening members are placed one upon the other said ears will he in position between the hails 7.

To seal the device, the engaging member is placed upon the securing member and pressed downward thereupon. The ribs 10 will force ears 15 laterally and under the bails 7, and

at the same time said hails will be forced p downward upon the ears and will press them into the apertures 17, formed by striking said ICO` each other without so mutilating the envelop as to render the same worthless. 'Ihe two members of the fasteners are formed from blanks, such as illustrated in Figs. 6 and 7, and the fasteners can be sold in this form and the blanks readily bent into the required form when being attached to envelops ordinarily in use. While the fastener is particularly adapted for registry-envelops, I do not desire to restrict myself to such use, as they may be employed equally as well upon ordinary envelops.

In the foregoing description I have shown the preferred form of my invention; butIdo not limit myself thereto, as I am aware that modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit or sacrificing the advantages thereof, and I therefore reserve the right to make such changes as fairly fall within the scope of my invention.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is- 1. The combination with an envelop having a sealed Hap and a closing-Hap; of a fastening member formed in a single piece of metal and having slots at the edges thereof for the reception of one edge of the closingfiap, inwardly-extending flanges to said member, ears extending therefrom and having apertures therein, said ears being adapted to project through the closing-Hap, and a securing member upon the sealed flap adapted to be engaged by said ears.

2. The combination with an envelop having a sealed Hap and aclosing-fiap; of an engaging member formed in a single piece of metal and having longitndinally-extending slots in the sides thereof for the reception of the closing-flap, inwardly-extending flanges to said member, ears extending from the edges of the iianges and at angles thereto, said ears having apertures therein, a securing member formed in a single piece of metal and having a longitudinally-extending slot in the edgel thereof for the reception of the sealed flap, inwardly-extending fianges to said member projecting under the sealed ap, bails struck up from said member, strips intermediate the bails, barbs thereon, and oppostely-extending tongues upon said strip.

3. In a fastener for envelops the combination with an engaging member Iformed in a single piece of metal and comprisingr a body port-ion, inwardly-extending flanges at the sides thereof and ears extending from the adjoining edges of said fianges and having apertures therein, the sides of said member being provided with longitudinal slots; of asecuring member formed in a single piece of metal and comprising a body portion having longitudinally-eXtending slots at the sides thereof, inwardly-turned ianges, bails struck up from the body portion and forming apertures therein, a strip intermediate said bails, a longitudinally-extending rib upon the strip and oppositely-projecting tongues on said strip.

In testimony whereof I afx my signature in presence of two witnesses.

STERLING N. FLIEGER.

Witnesses:

CEAS. B. I-IAsKELL, EDWARD S. MoRscH. 

